


Now All My Dreams are Melting on the Asphalt in the Heat

by IAmStoryteller



Category: Black Clover - Tabata Yuki (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Classical Music, Classical Musician Nozel Silva, F/M, Fluff, Inspired by Music, Opposites Attract, Punk Rock, Punk Vanessa Enoteca
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-17
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:32:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27604240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IAmStoryteller/pseuds/IAmStoryteller
Summary: Vanessa Enoteca, the lead singer and guitarist of the Punk band Arresting Dark Weave, is asked by her mentor/friend/first love Yami Sukehiro, the lead guitarist of The Black Bulls, to compose songs for his and Charlotte Roselei’s wedding.  Except, she has got to work with Charlotte’s friend Nozel Silva, the First Seat Cello Player of the Clover Kingdom Baroque Orchestra, who just so happens to a composer.  Can Vanessa and Nozel create some amazing songs for the Yami/Charlotte wedding in time? Or will it go up in smoke?
Relationships: Asta/Yuno (Black Clover), Charlotte Roselei & Nozel Silva, Charlotte Roselei & Vanessa Enoteca, Charlotte Roselei/Yami Sukehiro, Finesse Calmreich/Finral Roulacase, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Vanessa Enoteca & Finral Roulacase, Vanessa Enoteca & Yami Sukehiro, Vanessa Enoteca/Nozel Silva, Zora Ideale/Kirsch Vermillion
Comments: 4
Kudos: 40





	1. Hello World, I’m Your Wild Girl

**Author's Note:**

> I'm super hype for this one.
> 
> There's gonna be a lot of music references!

Vanessa Enoteca, lead vocalist, lead guitarist and main composer and song-writer of the Punk-Rock, all-female band **Arresting Dark Weave** , held back a yawn as she sipped her dangerous mixture of coffee, an energy drink and a dash of rum. She was sitting in a fancy flowery café with her dear friends Yami Sukehiro and Charlotte Roselei. 

Normally, Vanessa wouldn’t dare be seen in a place that had been decorated like someone vomited pastels everywhere. Her friend Yami, the lead guitarist of the Punk-Rock band **The Black Bulls** was also out of a place here—big, burly and mean-looking.

But it was Charlotte’s favorite café and Yam was besotted with his fiancée.

“So, we asked you here because we want you to create the music for our wedding,” said Charlotte. She was a blonde, blue-eyed prim and proper rich woman from the Roselei Family and the Second Chair Cello in the **Clover Kingdom Classical Orchestra**. 

Originally, Vanessa hadn’t liked Charlotte for two reasons—one that Vanessa had feelings for Yami a few years ago and second that Charlotte was way too pretty (was Vanessa a bi-disaster? Yes, yes she was). But Charlotte hadn’t been the type to want to “change” Yami like many of Yami’s past flings and Charlotte made the effort to get to know Yami’s friends. Vanessa and Charlotte became friends after one memorable night of bar-hopping that bonded them for life.

Vanessa grinned, despite her tiredness at being awake until 4am and only getting four hours of sleep and suffering through her hangover. “I’d love to! We need some bangers for the reception.”

“Agreed,” said Yami. 

“We asked my friend Nozel to help,” said Charlotte. “He can guide you through the more classical parts.”

“You want remixes of the classic wedding things? The Wedding March and stuff,” asked Vanessa. She didn’t know much about Charlotte’s friends, except the cutie Noelle and Lady Finesse, the love of Vanessa’s friend Finral’s life. (Finral was the lead vocalist of **The Black Bulls** ). Vanessa didn’t fail to see Yami’s face darkened at the mention of this Nozel guy. Interesting.

“Yes. I needn’t give my parents more of a heart-attack,” said Charlotte, a rare grin on her face. Charlotte’s Resting Bitch Face was amazing in Vanessa’s opinion. “But the rest of the music, please do anything.”

“Great. I’m in. Send me this Nozel guy’s contact info. We only got six months until the wedding,” said Vanessa.

“Thank you! I told you that Vanessa would be cool about it,” said Charlotte. That last part directed at Yami. Yami scowled.

“Yeah, yeah,” said Yami. “She’ll do good work. She always does.”

It was rare to get praise from Yami, so Vanessa laughed. “I love you two.”

This caused Charlotte and Yami to both sputter in embarrassment at Vanessa’s pronouncement. Vanessa kept laughing, ignoring the looks from the other café patrons.

*

When she returned to her apartment, she didn’t immediately collapse on the couch. Instead, she grabbed the apartment shared laptop. Vanessa lived with her bandmates and best friends, and while they did well with the multiple gigs every night, they weren’t that well off. Charmy’s stomach alone made a sizable dent in their monthly budget, as well as Grey’s therapy for her anxiety, Mariella’s fines from her arrests, Vanessa’s clothing habit and Secre’s rare book habit.

She did a search for Nozel Silva. Vanessa wanted to know a bit about the person she was going to be working on the “YamiChar Wedding Soundtrack” (title TBD) with, so it made sense to check out the guy’s social media presence. 

What she found was sparse, except for articles on the orchestra’s website and some news sites. Nozel Silva was the heir to the Silva Family Fortune, an old money family. He was the First Chair Cello, which explained why Charlotte was friends with him since they played the same instrument. But it seemed that Nozel also played other instruments and that he was the cutie Noelle’s older brother.

“Hmm, interesting,” said Vanessa. Nozel seemed like a boring guy, but as Vanessa’s friendship with Charlotte proved, first impressions weren’t always accurate. Vanessa was brash and loud and dressed the way she wanted, so she hoped that she didn’t scare Nozel off. After all, creating the original music for Yami and Charlotte’s wedding was a great honor.

Her sleepiness was setting in so she wrote an email to Nozel Silva asking about when they can meet to start brainstorming, before she passed out on the couch (not the first time, and certainly not the last time).

Email sent and Vanessa laid down and fell asleep immediately.

_~to be continued_


	2. I Don’t Give a Damn about My Reputation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nozel and Vanessa meet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Super excited.  
> I think my age will show a bit with the music choices  
> oh well

To: NozelSilva@ck.orchestra.org  
From: ArrestingDarkWeaveBand@gmail.com

Subject: YamiChar Wedding Music Meetup!

Hey, Nozel Silva,

This is Vanessa Enoteca, Yami and Char’s friend. Char said that you’ll be helping me with the wedding music. Just wanted to know when you were free so we can meet up and come up with a plan.

I usually have late nights, but I totally can get up in the morning if that’s more your speed.

Hope to hear from you,  
Vanessa <3

*

Nozel stared at the email far longer than it was necessary, as it was a short and to the point message. He knew that Charlotte was getting one of her non-orchestra friends to help with the music for her wedding to Yami Sukehiro, but he honestly thought he was going to wind up doing the whole thing himself. Vanessa seemed cheerful and chill and he couldn’t deal well with chipper people. Nozel had regret agreeing to do this favor for Charlotte. He was awkward at best with new people and he came off as kind of an asshole, as Yami told him to his face the first time they had met.

He wrinkled his nose in distaste. He didn’t understand why Charlotte just couldn’t just do what every other bride does and have the traditional Wedding March play at the ceremony and then have a “DJ” with a playlist made on Spotify. But no, Charlotte wanted original music for her wedding to Yami. And Yami had foolishly agreed.

Though, Nozel thought, it was nice that Yami was actually in love with Charlotte and wanted to do things to make her happy. Charlotte was the heir to her family’s fortune. She was beautiful, skilled and talented, and so there were way too many people who tried to date her for the money. As a childhood friend, Nozel didn’t want Charlotte to get hurt. He had been especially wary when she first brought Yami around to meet Nozel, Fuegoleon and the rest of their friends. Hence, the poor first impressions between Yami and himself.

Personally, Nozel can’t stand Yami, but he made Charlotte happy.

“What’s with the face, Big Brother,” asked Noelle, his youngest sister, entering his home office without knocking as usual. Noelle was the spitting image of their beloved mother. (Their mother was currently traveling the world as a treat for her birthday).

“I’m not making a face,” replied Nozel.

“Right,” she said, sarcastically. “You’re making the face when you interact with Mr. Yami or someone else you don’t like.”

She came over to the desk and peered over at his computer. “Hey, it’s Miss Vanessa! She’s pretty cool. I think you’ll like her. Her band’s music is a bop, let me tell you.”

“Ah, so you’ve met,” said Nozel.

“Yeah, back when I went with Mimosa to go spy on Kirsch’s new boyfriend, way before Mr. Yami and Miss Charlotte even met,” said Noelle, grinning. 

Nozel stared at his sister in horror. “Are you two the reason why Charlotte met Yami?”

Noelle laughed, which meant that Nozel was about to hear the truth that Charlotte, his sister and his cousin should have told him before. She explained, “I mean, the Black Bulls, Black Meteorite and the Arresting Dark Weave bands tend to do shows in the same clubs. Zora is friends with members of all three bands. And Mimosa got a bit tipsy so, of course, I called Charlotte, since Nebra didn’t answer her phone and Leo was still performing with Black Meteorite.”

“I can’t still ground you, can I,” Nozel inquired, sighing the sigh of a beleaguered older brother and older cousin to a bunch of ragamuffins.

“Being that it was two years ago when I was eighteen and I’m twenty now, and Mom says you aren’t allowed to even try anymore, no, no, you can’t,” said Noelle, cheerfully.

Nozel rubbed his forehead and decided to let it go. Letting things go was better for his mental health, as his therapist said. Nozel asked, “Help me write a response?”

“Sure.”

*

To: ArrestingDarkWeaveBand@gmail.com  
From: NozelSilva@ck.orchestra.org

RE: Subject: YamiChar Wedding Music Meetup!

_See earlier message_

Miss Vanessa Enoteca,

I have orchestra practice on Wed-Thurs-Fri with Sat-Sun being performances. I’m open on Mon-Tues. Morning is a preferred time, but afternoons are fine as well. Shall we meet at the Vermillion Recording Studio? I believe that your band records there as you are acquainted with my Vermillion cousins. How about 11am this Monday?

Regards,

Nozel Silva.

*

To: NozelSilva@ck.orchestra.org  
From: ArrestingDarkWeaveBand@gmail.com

_See earlier messages_

Yea, sounds great, see u there!

-Vanessa

*

Messages to Charlotte Roselei:

N: I’m not buying you a wedding present.

C: Yeah, sure, you’re not.

N: I can feel an ulcer forming already.

C: Drama king

N: No present!

C: Politeness dictates that you will buy me and Yami a wedding present. That and your mother would eviscerate you if you didn’t.

N: I hate that you’re right.

*

Monday came too quickly.

Nozel entered the lobby of the Vermillion Recording House. He had suggested the Vermillion Recording House instead of the Silva Recording House. After all, Nozel’s dad was always there at the Silva Recording Studio and he didn’t want to field questions from him. And if his dad told his mom that Nozel was meeting a woman, his mom would get _ideas._

The Vermillion Recording House had a flame motif design and it was just so tacky. He often said it to Fuegoleon’s face. His cousin (really, they were second cousins) was a great musician, but a decorator he was not. Then again, Fuegoleon, Mereoleona and Leo often said that the Silva Recording House felt like a sterile doctor’s office.

Nozel looked around the lobby to find Vanessa, who he had seen a picture of on Noelle’s Instagram, but he didn’t see her there yet. He sighed and walked to the counter to speak to Randall, who was stuck on desk duty. His cousin Fuegoleon’s college roommate and fellow musician Randall had a disgruntled look on his face. Manning the desk in a recording studio was a pain.

“Is Vanessa Enoteca here yet,” Nozel asked Randall.

“Good to see you too, Nozel,” said Randall, sarcastically. “But Miss Vanessa ain’t here yet. She’s often fashionably late. But you can go up to the room that she reserved and wait there.”

Nozel asked, “What room?”

“Recording Room 3,” said Randall. “Go on up.”

Nozel nodded. He took the elevator up. He visited enough to know where to go. There were a dozen recording rooms, but rooms 1 and 3 were the smaller ones. It made sense to use them if it was only two people working. He entered the room.

There was a couch with a coffee table in front of it on one side of the wall. The mixing console, the audio workstation and so forth were right in front of the glass window that let you see into the actual recording booth. He sat on the couch and took out his binder. As he was a bit of a control freak, he had an idea of what kind of songs they needed, so he’d need to see what Vanessa thought.

It was 11:01am when Vanessa burst into the room. “Made it! Hey, you must be Nozel. I’m Vanessa Enoteca, nice to meet you. Wow, you really look similar to Noelle!”

“Hello,” said Nozel, getting up to shake her hand.

Vanessa smiled and shook his hand enthusiastically. She wore jeans, a pink-yellow-orange tye-dye t-shirt and carried a pink and bedazzled small backpack. Her purple hair was up in a messy bun. She looked like she just got up out of bed or didn’t even go to sleep.

Nozel knew better than to judge someone without getting to know them better. His mother would read him a long lecture if he did. He asked, clearing his throat, “So, where do you want to start?”

Vanessa pulled out some wrinkled and battered papers from her small backpack. “Well, I figured we can ballpark how many songs we're gonna need first? And then figure out when we can meet up.” She plopped herself on the couch, so Nozel joined her, sitting like a gentleman.

“Right,” said Nozel, awkwardly. 

There was silence for far too many seconds for Nozel’s liking until Vanessa broke it.

She suggested, “Well, I was thinking that the Bridesmaids should walk down with Handel’s “Music for the Royal Fireworks” and since Charlotte’s mother wanted to go super traditional, the bride processional can be Wagner’s “Here Comes the Bride” or Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March.””

“I was thinking along the same lines,” said Nozel, trying not to be impressed. He had a reputation. “For Handel, I thought that “the Overture'' would be plenty of time to get the bridesmaids down the aisle and I think if we pair it with Mendelssohn, it’ll flow really well.”

Vanessa’s eyes lit up in excitement. “I like it. Full orchestra or piano?”

“We’ll do full orchestra. Everyone loves Charlotte, so we’ll pre-record them in time,” said Nozel. He already got permission from Julius Novachrono to get the entire orchestra on board to record outside of regular practice. 

“Well, that’s the easy part,” said Vanessa.

Since Nozel was passionate about music and Vanessa was far more personable than him, the conversation flowed after the first bit of awkwardness. They had both agreed that remixes of pop songs would pad the playlist since the reception was gonna be hours long. But “The First Dance'' and the “Father and Daughter Dance” along with five other songs were gonna be originals. 

They had six months to come up with seven songs and that was easier said than done. Their schedules were very opposite, but Mondays seemed to be the day that was the best day to meet up.

As they headed out of the recording room to leave the Vermillion Recording House. “So, how did you and Char meet,” asked Vanessa, conversationally, on the way to the elevator.

“We’re childhood friends,” said Nozel. “She’s like another sister to me.”

“Oh, that explains Yami’s face when your name was mentioned,” said Vanessa, grinning. “Guess you and Yami don’t get along, huh?”

“Understatement,” said Nozel, blankly. “How’d you meet Yami?”

“I was singing in the subway and he recruited me for the Black Bulls,” said Vanessa, fondly. “Course, I quickly knew that I wanted my own band. Love Yami and Finral, but our styles just don’t mesh.”

Nozel had heard the Black Bulls’ music and it was very…metal and screaming. He winced at the memory, as they entered the elevator.

“From your expression, I take it that you’re not a fan of the Black Bulls,” said Vanessa, laughing. 

“The instrument playing is superb,” stated Nozel. 

“Way to be diplomatic,” replied Vanessa. 

They fell into another awkward silence.

The elevator dipped and they stepped off back in the lobby. Nozel nodded at Vanessa. “I must go. I’ll see you next Monday.”

“Bye,” Vanessa said.

*

He sat in his office and had Spotify open on his phone as he looked for **Arresting Dark Weave.** Nozel wanted to know how Vanessa sang, which he should have looked up before they met but didn’t think that she’d be as competent as she was with all sorts of music.

There were covers so he clicked on the first one.

A cover of Joan Jett and the Blackhearts’ “Bad Reputation” echoed throughout his office.

_“I don’t give a damn ‘bout my reputation  
You’re living in the past it’s a new generation  
A girl can do what she wants to do and that’s  
What I’m gonna do  
An’ I don’t give a damn ‘bout my bad reputation  
Oh no, not me  
An' I don't give a damn 'bout my reputation  
Never said I wanted to improve my station  
An' I'm only doin' good  
While I'm havin' fun”_

Nozel smiled.

_~to be continued_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think! No chapter in Jan, but will be back in Feb!


	3. We Belong Way Down Below

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The YamiChar wedding soundtrack continues...and Vanessa finds out an interesting thing about Nozel...

_Two weeks later…_

**Arresting Dark Weave** , **the Black Bulls** and **Black Meteorite** bands were at a club (“Lioness” run by Mereoleona Vermillion) having their Sunday night gigs. Vanessa made sure that she and her band had four gigs, at minimum, a week. Sunday nights were always at “Lioness,” since Mereoleona had been the one to give the three bands consistent gigs since the beginning.

The only downside was that “Lioness” was usually a giant mosh pit and it was definitely far crazier than Vanessa had the energy for lately. 

After a set, Vanessa and her bandmates escaped the stage and rushed into the back while Asta and the rest of **Black Meteorite** ran out to make sure that the crowd weren’t without music for too long. Vanessa collapsed in a chair, making sure to be gentle with her guitar. 

She felt a cold bottle touch her face and Vanessa glanced up to find Charlotte there. Charlotte often joined the bands backstage, being moral support for Yami. In turn, Yami wore a suit and went to the orchestra when they performed.

“Stay hydrated,” said Charlotte.

“Thanks,” said Vanessa, gratefully taking the water. She opened it and took a long sip. 

“So, what’s going on with Secre today,” asked Charlotte, hand on her hips. “She seems down.” Secre was sitting in the corner, already reading a book and ignoring the chaos of the backstage performers around her. Secre was often quiet and preferred observing people, so it was hard to tell when she was down in the dumps.

Vanessa grimaced. “Lumiére was supposed to come tonight. But he couldn’t escape the palace guards in time.”

“Ah, I see,” said Charlotte, knowingly. “I could perhaps sneak her in to see him.” Lumiere Kira Clover Silvamillion was the King of their humble little Clover Kingdom and Secre just so happened to be Lumiere’s childhood friend being that Secre came from a noble house, except Secre opted to live her life on her terms and not her parents’ and Secre had been banned from anywhere near the Clover Castle. Charlotte, being of the Roselei Noble Family, would be able to get Secre in to visit Lumiere.

“Nah, you know Secre, she’s pretty stubborn,” said Vanessa, waving off Charlotte’s concern. 

“Very well,” said Charlotte. Grinning, “So, how’s it going with Nozel?”

Vanessa took another sip of her water. “Better than I thought. We got the actual wedding ceremony songs planned, and same with the soundtrack pop filler songs. He and I meet up tomorrow morning to start the First Dance.”

Nozel Silva was far different than she imagined Charlotte’s friend from the orchestra. Certainly, she had met Noelle already, but all siblings are not made the same. Nozel was stiff at first, but he knew music and music always was a good way to get to know someone. They got along well enough, but Vanessa’s sense of humor flew over Nozel’s head and there were an awful lot of awkward pauses between them. Vanessa was naturally a people person, but Nozel didn’t seem very comfortable with people in general.

“Thank you again for doing this for me,” said Charlotte.

“I know that you just want to stick your marriage to Yami in your family’s faces, so I gotta make the best songs I can,” said Vanessa, giggling.

“I am not _that_ petty,” said Charlotte, sniffing.

Vanessa burst out laughing. “You are.”

Charlotte broke into a smile. “Yeah, maybe.”

*

Vanessa woke up late. Granted, she always woke up late, but today, she was super late, like an hour late. She ran down the street towards the Vermillion Recording House, attempting to fix her hair and text at the same time. Their gig went overtime since everyone got so hype and Vanessa might have had one too many shots.

She rushed into the lobby of the Vermillion Recording House, nearly colliding with Nozel who looked getting ready to leave. “Sorry I’m late!”

Nozel steadied Vanessa before she fell on her ass. “You have a brush stuck in your hair,” he stated, blankly.

Vanessa’s eyes widened, as she touched her hair and realized that her brush did, in fact, get tangled in her hair. “Shit.” She went to untangle the brush from her hair, which was way too frizzy today.

Nozel raised an eyebrow. “You look like you had a hard night. Did you eat breakfast?’ He glanced at the clock in the lobby. “Er, lunch?”

“…No,” said Vanessa, grimacing. 

“Why don’t you take a few minutes in the bathroom here and I’ll treat you to lunch,” said Nozel. His face was blank, but his offer was rather sweet. 

Vanessa grinned. “I’m always up for food. Wait just a minute.”

With that, she went to the bathroom on the lobby level. She washed her face with some warm water. She managed to untangle the brush and tame her messy hair in a ponytail. Vanessa looked at herself in the mirror. She really needed to go home and clean her face. She didn’t get all her makeup off and she definitely still had glitter on her. She sighed, but figured it was as best as it was gonna get.

She headed back out of the bathroom. Nozel had been waiting by the door. She smiled at him. “So, what do you have in mind?”

*

“Why have I never found this place before,” said Vanessa, eating her fourth grilled cheese, tomato and bacon sandwich (cut in triangles, of course). It wasn’t just a puny home-made grilled cheese, no. This was the God of Grilled Cheese. It had light and fluffy bread, four very nice fancy cheeses, real thick strips of hickory smoked bacon and fresh tomatoes.

She never expected Nozel to bring her downtown to a little shop that specializes in grilled cheeses.

“Sister Lily doesn’t advertise,” said Nozel, simply. “She employs only college students and uses the profits to use at the church orphanage in a village. I found this place a couple of years ago.”

“Aquaria,” asked Vanessa, remembering the name Sister Lily in conjunction with her friend Asta’s Sister Lily, who had been the assistant caretaker at Asta and his boyfriend Yuno’s home orphanage in Hage.

“Yes,” said Nozel. “Sister Lily used to go to school with Charlotte and me, but when she became a lady of cloth, we lost touch. I get good food, see an old friend and help a good cause. It’s a win-win.”

“Aww, that’s kinda sweet,” said Vanessa. “Wait until I tell Asta! I can believe he didn’t tell me. He knows I love me some grilled cheese.” She preferred having a nice beer with her grilled cheese, but the soda was good enough.

“You know my Asta and Yuno too,” asked the woman, exiting behind the counter. She was in a nun’s habit, and she had a gentle demeanor. 

“Yeah, Asta’s my buddy and Yuno’s his very protective boyfriend, but I guess we’re friends too,” said Vanessa, fondly. “Vanessa Enoteca. You must be the wonderful, amazing and beautiful Sister Lily.”

“Oh, you’re Miss Vanessa! Asta tells me all about his friends,” said Sister Lily. “Nozel, you should have told me you were stopping by with Miss Vanessa, I would have given you the food for free.”

Nozel shook his head. “You’re too kind, sometimes, Sister Lily.”

Vanessa looked at Nozel and then at Sister Lily, who became chatting amicably with each other, while Vanessa continued to eat the delicious grilled cheese.

Oh.

Oh.

_That’s rough, buddy,_ Vanessa thought, sending out good vibes to Nozel. Unlike many of her oblivious friends, she usually knew when someone liked another person. Nozel definitely had some lingering fond feelings for Sister Lily. His eyes had a shine to them when he looked at Sister Lily. Vanessa felt a pang of sadness. Nozel was so awkward that there was no way that he’d ever even think about asking a woman out. _They would have been cute together,_ Vanessa mused.

“Asta and Yuno don’t know that I came here to earn money for the Hage orphanage,” said Sister Lily, snapping Vanessa out of her thoughts. “They think I’m just working at the church pre-school down the street. Which I also do, but, you know, I didn’t want them to worry. They need to live their lives to the fullest and not worry about whether the other kids have new supplies and food. It’s hard living in the city when you’re not a person of the cloth or well, rich.”

Vanessa smiled. “Ah, so it’s a secret. Well, my lips are sealed. I definitely worry about Asta, the kid never buys anything from himself and he’s impossible to buy gifts for.”

“That’s just like Asta,” said Sister Lily. “Yuno too.”

“Sister! We ran out of sharp cheddar again,” called the person in the kitchen.

“Excuse me, Miss Vanessa, Nozel. Please continue to enjoy your food,” said Sister Lily, hustling off to the kitchen.

After a moment to give Nozel a minute, Vanessa asked, “So, that First Dance song? Should we work out a rough chorus and cord set?”

“That’s a good idea…Do you want another grilled cheese?”

“…Yes.”

*

Vanessa unlocked her front door to find Secre curled up on the couch with an oversized book. Tiredly, she kicked her boots off and quickly plopped on the couch. Vanessa cuddled up to Secre immediately. Secre didn’t mind the affection, but she never reacted.

“So, how much was this book,” asked Vanessa, teasingly.

“How much did you drink last night,” Secre retorted, without looking up from her book.

“Touché,” said Vanessa, leaning her head against Secre’s. “So, what’s this one about?”

“It's a book of fairy tales from across the sea,” said Secre. “They’re appropriately dark. The Prince gave it to me since he couldn’t get to the show last night.”

“You know, he’s the King now,” said Vanessa. 

“He will always be the Prince to me,” said Secre.

Vanessa hummed, tiredly. “Anyway, we got the chorus done for the First Dance. I think Yami and Charlotte are really gonna love it.”

“Noelle’s brother is surprisingly good at music for being so stoic,” said Secre.

“Says the most stoic woman I know,” said Vanessa. “Nozel’s really awkward, but he’s totally a big softie. He loves his family and he’s a good friend. Hidden depths, you know.”

“People have layers like onions,” said Secre.

Vanessa stared at Secre for a minute and burst out laughing. “Geez, Asta’s movie nights really got through to you.”

“Shrek and Shrek 2 are classics,” said Secre, deadpan. “The rest of the franchise can die fiery deaths, however.”

Vanessa giggled. 

_~to be continued_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always let me know what you think!!!!

**Author's Note:**

> As always let me know what you think.
> 
> Here's the pinterest board referencing Vanessa's style and Nozel's style!  
> https://www.pinterest.com/iamstoryteller/now-all-my-dreams-are-melting-on-the-asphalt/
> 
> The Pop, Punk, Rock, and Metal Scene:  
> Bands:  
> Arresting Dark Weave  
> Vanessa- Lead vocals, lead guitarist  
> Charmy- drums  
> Grey- bass  
> Secre- keyboards, backup vocalist  
> Mariella- rhythm guitar
> 
> Vanessa’s Punk Style:  
> Inspired by: the Pretenders, the Runaways, Patti Smith, Blondie, Shonen Knife, Paramore, Superchick, the Veronicas, Pat Benatar, The Pretty Reckless, Civet, Halsey and Dolly Parton  
> Vanessa can play the guitar (acoustic, electric, semi-acoustic guitar) and the violin
> 
> The Black Bulls  
> Yami- lead guitarist  
> Gauche- keyboards, backup vocals  
> Magna- bass  
> Luck- drums  
> Finral- lead vocals
> 
> Black Meteorite  
> Asta- lead vocalist, keyboards  
> Leopold- lead guitarist, backup vocals  
> Rill- rhythm guitar  
> Henry- bass guitar  
> Mars- drums, backup vocals
> 
> The Agrippa Family  
> Nathan- lead guitar  
> Jonna- bass guitar  
> Gordon- lead vocalist  
> Roxanne- keyboards  
> Nilenia- triangle
> 
> The Eye of the Midnight Sun  
> Patri- lead guitarist  
> Rhya- keyboards  
> Vetto- bass guitar  
> Rades- drums  
> Sally- lead vocalist
> 
> The Queen Witches  
> Dominante- keyboards, lead vocalist  
> Catherine- lead guitarist  
> Akimo- bass guitar  
> Dorothy- drums
> 
> Heart’s Guardians  
> Lolopechka- lead vocalist  
> Gadjah- drums  
> Floga- bass guitar  
> Potrof- keyboards  
> Undine- lead guitarist
> 
> Dark Triad  
> Dante- lead guitarist, lead vocalist  
> Zenon- bass guitar  
> Vanica- drums, backup vocalist
> 
> Rampaging Mother Earth  
> Rebecca- lead vocalist, lead guitarist  
> Sol- drums  
> Borja- bass guitar  
> Wainsley- keyboards, backup vocalist
> 
> Green Mantis  
> Jack- lead vocalist, lead guitarist  
> En- drums  
> Sekke- bass guitar  
> Nix- keyboards  
> David- rhythm guitar
> 
> Underwater Kingdom  
> Kahono- singer, keyboards  
> Kiato-dancer, guitar
> 
> Solos:  
> Mereoleona “Uncrowned Undefeated Lioness”
> 
> Fanzell “Slicing Wind Emperor”
> 
> Zora Ideale “Super Sorcerer”
> 
> Fana “Phoenix Feathers”
> 
> The Classical/Baroque/Romantic Scene:  
> Nozel’s Expertise is Late Baroque (Ex. Bach)  
> Nozel can play the cello, the viola, the harpsichord, and the traditional piano
> 
> Julius- conductor  
> Theresa- a legend  
> Charlotte- piano, pipe organ, second cello  
> Puli- trumpet, second timpani  
> Kaiser- bass drum, first timpani  
> Xerx- tenor drum, second oboe  
> Risacca- saxophone, second natural trumpet  
> Fragil- first flute  
> Marx- second flute, piccolo  
> William- tenor trombones, first natural trumpet  
> Alecdora- first oboe  
> Klaus- first natural horn, French horn  
> Letoile- second natural horn, French horn  
> Yuno- harpsichord, celesta, piano  
> Nozel- first cello, viola, harpsichord, and piano, composition  
> Finesse- harp, theorbo  
> Noelle- double bass, string bass  
> Nebra- viola  
> Solid- second violin  
> Fuegoleon- pipe organ  
> Mimosa- bassoon  
> Kirsch- viola da gamba  
> Langris- first violin


End file.
